The Ethiopian Church on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

Image by eriktorner
"One of the doors on the roof leads to the Ethiopian monks’ chapel.

This is separated from a passageway by a green-painted railing, leaving just room for four pairs of benches on each side of a Persian carpet-runner before a simple screen of dark, silver-painted wood.

In the centre, a horseshoe-arch opens to the high altar, hung with white silk, beneath an icon of the Virgin and Child.

Ethiopians speak the ancient Semitic language of Amharic. They worship in the even more ancient dead language of Ge’ez. Their liturgy if full of surprises. As well as Sunday, Saturday is a holy day, and in each church the Ark of the Covenant is revered. Indeed Axum cathedral is said to house the Ark once kept in the Holy of Holies of the Jewish Temple."

Extract from a fine piece by Christopher Howse in the Telegraph. Read more:

Must see this documentary video if you want to know how the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church has the Ark of Covenant and Ten Commandments. The Digging for the truth shows the search for the Arc of the Covenant and how history links the findings to Ethiopia.Video Rating: 4 / 5